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The Canada-Mexico Partnership

Introduction

Canada and Mexico share a dynamic and prosperous relationship: as friends, as North American neighbours, and as strategic partners in the Americas and in the world. Over the years, our cooperation has expanded across a wide range of political, trade, social, environmental and security interests.

The Canada-Mexico Partnership has issued its 2016 Annual Report. It highlights the work and progress of this important mechanism over the period and outlines its goals for the year ahead.

Canada-Mexico Partnership Origins

The Canada-Mexico Partnership (“CMP”) is our key mechanism for bilateral cooperation. It serves as a catalyst for concerted action between our governments, private sectors, and non-governmental partners to pursue common goals and mutually beneficial priorities. It was launched in Ottawa in October 2004, the year marking the 60th anniversary of Canada-Mexico diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of NAFTA. (See 2004 CMP statement [PDF 426 KB])

Canada-Mexico Partnership Overall Coordination

The Canada-Mexico Partnership meets once a year, with meetings alternating between Canada and Mexico. The CMP is coordinated by senior public servants from Global Affairs Canada and from Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There is no set membership of the CMP: rather, participation is determined by membership in one of the CMP’s eight working groups. The groups are not fixed: the CMP accommodates shifts of priorities within groups as well as the phasing out or creation of new groups.

Canada-Mexico Partnership Working Groups (active in 2016-2017)

Agri-business

Energy

Environment

Forestry

Human Capital

Labour Mobility

Mining

Trade, Investment and Innovation

Working Group Membership

The CMP’s working groups bring together representatives from the public sector and the private sector. Each group is co-chaired by senior decision-makers from Canada and Mexico, from both the government and private sectors. The public sector is represented by individuals at both the federal and provincial/state levels while the private sector comprises members of business and industry associations, academic communities and other organizations.

Work of the Groups

Each group develops its own goals and work plan and meets to advance its objectives on an as-needed basis. An annual CMP meeting brings together all working groups to take stock of progress, highlight results and set new priorities.

2016 Annual Meeting: Ottawa, Ontario

On November 23-24, 2016, participants from Canada and Mexico gathered in Ottawa for the twelfth annual Canada-Mexico Partnership (CMP) meeting. Each working group reviewed the work of the past year and established a work plan for the coming year. An emphasis on cross-sector collaboration meant that many of the working groups held joints sessions to explore how they might enhance their work plans through cooperative efforts. The Executive Committee decided that the CMP will be held annually in late November. Mexico will host the next CMP meeting during the week of November 20-24, 2017.